Flames.
君がもるゑじのたくひのひるはたえよるはもえつつ物をこそ思へ
| kimi ga moru wezi no taku Fi no Firu wa tae yoru Fa moetsutsu mono o koso omoFe | My lord stands guard at the Palace, A conscript kindling flames which Dwindle with the daytime, and Ever burn at night: As do I, for love of him. |
Left (Win).
頼めぬを待ちつる宵も過果てゝつらさ閉ぢむる片敷の床
| tanomenu o machitsuru yoi mo sugihatete turasa tojimuru katashiki no toko |
He did not say he’d come, and so To waiting through the night I have put an end, Sealing my unhappiness In a single bed… |
Lord Sada’ie.
835
Right.
我戀や衛士の焚く火となりぬらん夜のみひとり燃えあかす哉
| wa ga koi ya eshi no taku hi to narinuran yoru nomi hitori moeakasu kana |
Has my love, like Conscripts’ kindled flame Become? Through the night alone Afire? |
Lord Tsune’ie.
836
The Right state: we wonder about the appropriateness of both ‘sealing’ (tojimuru) and ‘a single bed’ (katashiki no toko). The Left state: it sounds as if the ‘conscripts’ kindled flame’ (eshi no taku hi) is alone.
In judgement: the Left’s poem, beginning with ‘to waiting through the night I have put an end’ (machitsuru yoi mo sugihatete) and then continuing with ‘sealing my unhappiness’ (tsurasa tojimuru) does not sound bad, but ‘single bed’ should surely have been ‘sleeve’ (sode). The ‘conscripts kindled flame’ would certainly not have been ‘burning alone’ (hitori moyu). The Left should win, it seems.
Left (Tie).
くるゝ夜は衛士のたく火をそれと見よ室の八嶋も都ならねば
| kururu yo wa eji no taku hi wo sore to miyo muro no yashima mo miyako naraneba |
In the dark of night, The conscripts kindled flames Behold as my love, for The waters of Muro no Yashima Lie not within the capital. |
113
Right (Tie).
蘆の屋に螢やまがふ海人やたく思ひも戀も夜はもえつゝ
| ashi no ya ni hotaru ya magau ama ya taku omoi mo koi mo yoru wa moetsutsu |
In a reed-roofed hut, One might mistake for fireflies, or Fisherfolk’s kindled fires The passion and the love, that Burns in me throughout the night. |
114